Celebrating Indie Bookstores

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​Last Saturday I celebrated an occasion I’ve never celebrated before: Independent Bookstore Day. It was so much fun I plan to put it on my calendar every year.

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The bookstore celebrated Independent Bookstore Day with a Michigan Author Jamboree

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​All around the country indie bookstores hosted special events, like the Michigan Author Jamboree my friend Janet and I attended at the Book Nook & Java Shop in Montague. A chilly wind just about blew us into the store, but inside by the fireplace, with warm drinks in hand, all was cozy.

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Ingar Rudholm led an informative workshop

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​The event opened with a workshop on how to present your book to prospective readers. Led by author Ingar Rudholm, the workshop offered easy-to-apply tips on quickly engaging readers and keeping their attention. 

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​We all had a chance to practice our book pitches during the workshop. And it was a good thing we did, because after the workshop, any authors who wished to do so were given ten minutes to get up on stage and talk about their books to an audience of readers.

Janet Glaser, who writes as J.Q. Rose, discussed her books

Historical fiction author Jules Nelson told the audience about her work

Author Andrew Allen Smith emceed the author talks

Ingar followed his own advice about using props to keep readers' interest

Author Bonnie Jeane-Marie told how she came to write an inspirational book

My very first author display!

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​Following those presentations, authors signed and sold books at tables near the front of the store. Even though I won’t have books to sell until October, I took the opportunity to spread the word about Mango Rash, hand out information cards, and sign up subscribers to my newsletter, Mango Meanderings.

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Author Kelsey Mecher-Wentzloff with her book of movie quotations

Author D.A. Reed signs books

A selection of D.A.'s books, along with those of fellow author Andrew Allen Smith

Author L.M. Ransom preparing for the book signing

Authors D.A. Reed (left) and Janet Vormittag (right) talk with a store visitor

​Beyond promoting my own book, though, I was excited to connect with other Michigan authors. It’s always interesting to hear how authors began writing and what led them to write the kinds of books they write. I also learned about Written in the Mitten, an online community of published and aspiring authors that shares information on local author events.

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​​Most of all, I was happy to show my support for independent bookstores. These welcoming spaces are more than stores, often serving as community hubs and performance venues. They enrich their neighborhoods and boost local economies. As publishing professional Valerie Peterson noted in a 2017 article, even some well-known authors got their start at local independent booksellers. “For example,” she wrote, “Square Books in Oxford, Mississippi hosted an unknown John Grisham's first book signing event.”

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Books by Jules Nelson, Bonnie Jeane-Marie, and Andrew Allen Smith

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​So mark your calendar for the last Saturday in April 2020 and plan to celebrate next year’s Independent Bookstore Day. But don’t wait until then to celebrate independent bookstores. Visit often, and buy books!

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​As for me, I’m heading off tonight to Flying Bear Books for poetry night.